This is good advice. Programmers and writers need to fall in love with language, learn to think logically, and come to terms with classical rhetoric. Dick Gabriel is a master of all three. Read his essays at <a href="http://www.dreamsongs.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.dreamsongs.com</a>. Read his book Patterns of Software book, inspired by the work of Christopher Alexander.
This is the best book for finding words I have ever used:
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Flip-Dictionary-Barbara-Ann-Kipfer/dp/1582971404" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Flip-Dictionary-Barbara-Ann-Kipfer/dp/...</a>
It really depends on your discipline's culture. In the humanities, good writing style is essential. In e.g. medicine with its highly standardized report/article format where articles are targeted at an international community, language rather is a commodity whose presence should go unnoticed.